FOND DU LAC — The Fond du Lac Dock Spiders have a new manager this season. That’s 26-year-old Sam Fonder, a Green Bay East High School and St. Norbert College alum.
He never imagined one day he would be able to run a Northwoods League team.
“This is so awesome,” Fonder said. “I followed the Northwoods League for a long time. I used to go to Green Bay Bullfrogs games all the time when I was a kid.”
Fonder just finished up his doctorate in sports psychology at Florida State University and spent the spring as the director of player development for the Florida A&M baseball program. As of right now, he has a few different options for where his career can go.
“Long term, I just want to help as many athletes as possible get to where they want to go in baseball and become future leaders and future coaches, and so whether that's as a head coach, an assistant coach, a field manager, a professor, I'm really not too picky,” he said.
WATCH FONDER'S STORY HERE!
His focus with the Dock Spiders is helping players build confidence while getting lots of reps. But he also wants them to build up good daily habits.
“Understanding that as a professional, you still have to show up every day and get your work in and be consistent in your routine,” Fonder said. “I'm hoping a lot of guys go back to school with a plan and a higher attention to detail than what they had when they came in."
While Fonder is helping his players grow their games, he’s learning about himself as a first-year manager. The biggest thing is communication.
“Learning to kind of talk to everyone and work with everyone in the way that is best for them and kind of meet whatever communication style they use or whatever makes sense to them and get the message across that way, so a lot of repetitions there and working on that,” Fonder said.
Heading into Friday night, his squad is 2-0 to start the second half of the season, and he just wants them to continue playing with high energy and intensity.
“I want them to keep learning. I want them to keep playing with some fire and enjoying every minute that they get out here,” Fonder said.
